Above: Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard Before Streetscape Revitalization. Below: The thoroughfare after completion of the project.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu joined city and state officials, and community stakeholders Tuesday (April 4) to celebrate the completion of the Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard Streetscape Project from Calliope Street to St. Andrew Street in Central City. The $1.85 million project was funded through a Disaster-Community Development Block Grant. Construction began in August 2016.

“The completion of Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard will continue to revitalize this important and historic corridor,” Landrieu. “This project will serve as a catalyst for future growth and private investment for both the residents and businesses in Central City.”

The scope of work for this project included partial removal of the neutral ground from Felicity Street to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, installing wider pedestrian spaces at intersections, repairing damaged sidewalks, installing new curb ramps at intersections, restriping the roadway from two travel lanes and a parking lane to one travel lane, bike lane, and a parking lane in each direction; striping new high visibility crosswalks, improving rain gardens, planting landscaping and tree cuts, and repaving the asphalt roadway.

Streetscape projects improve the area surrounding the roadway by making them more pedestrian-friendly and encouraging people to walk or bike rather than drive, as well as helping investments in the surrounding community. The O.C. Haley Boulevard Streetscape Project coincides with a number of new and improved developments on the corridor including: Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Café Reconcile, Peoples Health Jazz Market, Toups South, Casa Borrega, Primitivo, Dryades Market and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority Office.

“These streetscape improvements are another step in the continued revitalization of Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, which is vital to the overall health and prosperity of Central City,” said District B Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell.